8 Day Okavango & Beyond (BS-USB)

Muli shani! Welcome to Zambia.

You can arrive at any time on day 1 as there are no activities planned until the important welcome meeting at 1pm. Please ensure you arrive in time for this meeting. It is a good idea to have lunch beforehand as we head out straight afterwards. Your leader will leave a note at reception telling you where this important meeting will take place. Please ask a member of reception for this information. Your leader will collect your local payment at this meeting.

After the meeting we will head straight out to a tour highlight - visiting the magnificent Victoria Falls. The falls are an enormous curtain of water, about a mile wide, falling 108m into a narrow chasm below. In the wet season, the spray created can rise up an incredible 400m and the falls are an impressive raging torrent. In the dry season, the view of the falls is unobstructed by spray and it's possible to see little islets in the river below.

Our second day here is free for you to enjoy some of the many optional activities on offer in this adrenalin capital. You may like to bungee jump, go white water rafting (seasonal) or gorge swinging. If you want something more sedate, you can take a 'flight of angels' in a helicopter or small plane for a bird's eye view of the falls, or drift lazily on the upper stretches of the Zambezi in a canoe.

This morning we are up early, and we skirt around Livingstone and head towards the Botswanan border, naturally created by the confluence of the Chobe and Zambezi Rivers. We cross into Botswana on the Kazangula Ferry and enter a land that is both rich in diversity and culture. It's only a short distance to Kasane where we'll stay tonight.

We travel a total of about 2-3 hours today including the ferry ride.

This afternoon we head out on an afternoon fish eagle cruise on the Chobe River, where you may spot elephants and crocodiles or possibly encounter some hippos. Watching the sun slide down over the tranquil riverside setting of tangled trees and grassy plains is another Chobe treat.

Our accommodation in Kasane near Chobe is in simple chalets.

This morning there is time for an optional dawn game drive (please refer to optional activities section of these trip notes for approximate prices) for those who would like to further explore this beautiful park. We then head to Maun, gateway to one of the world's most renowned and complex ecosystems, the Okavango Delta. The distance travelled today is about 600kms, which takes us about 8-9 hours.

Springing from the Okavango River which begins in Angola, this is a natural wetland system formed by the river dividing into an intricate floodplain of thousands of channels, spreading 1,600,000ha over northern Botswana. This fan-like network of waterways forms an inland delta, the only one of its kind in the world.

We camp on a remote island in the heart of the wilderness and explore the maze of lagoons, lakes and streams, led by experienced and knowledgeable guides. Traverse the waterways by mokoro, a traditional dugout canoe navigated by friendly local 'polers', as well as on foot. With luck, we may spot some of the delta's unusual wildlife and prolific birdlife while on these safaris. At night, the sounds of the African bush are the only things you will hear - a true wilderness experience.

You will need a sleeping bag for this night. We are able to arrange sleeping bag hire for a nominal fee - please ask us at time of booking.

For those wanting more adventure there is an opportunity to fly over the delta in a small plane for a bird's eye view, a great way to appreciate the immensity of this watery world.

We return to Maun for night 6 where we stay in twin cabins.

Today we head to the Khama Rhino Sanctuary situated near the South African border, on the edge of the vast Kalahari Desert (approx. 7-8 hours, 520km). This reserve is the result of local communities' efforts in 1989 to convert the Serwe Pan, previously a hunting area, into a conservation area. Now, the area is prime habitat for white rhinos, zebras, wildebeest and giraffes, and game may be observed around its many natural waterholes. A visit to this locally-based wildlife project benefits local communities and you'll also be contributing to the protection of the highly endangered white rhinoceros.

We head out tonight on an exciting dusk drive where we hope to have a close encounter of the rhino kind!

Please note that the dusk game drive will be replaced with a dawn game drive if the tour arrives at the sanctuary late for any reason.

Our accommodation is in simple cabins.

On our last day we travel to Johannesburg, South Africa where our journey comes to an end. This sprawling city is one of remarkable contrasts: in the townships, mansions stand alongside tin shacks and there are as many green parks on the outskirts of the city as there are conglomerations of concrete in the city centre. This is a good place to spend a couple of days to get an insight into South Africa's history and it's a great base for exploring the rest of the country.

On arrival in Jo'Burg you can be dropped at the airport or at Amadwala Lodge. Please note that we return to Johannesburg between 4:00pm and 6:00pm. Please take this late arrival into account when booking flights.

Please note no accommodation is provided for this night. Additional accommodation at Amadwala Lodge is available - please enquire at time of booking.